Straight bar knitting machine



Aug. 14, 1951 G. HUBER STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 27, 1950 MLQ EL Allomeys.

Patented Aug. 14, 1951 U N ED STATES A N OFF STRAIGHT BAR meme meme Gustav, Huber, "Cleator, England, assignor to Kangol'liate'nts Limited,'*'London, England, a 1 British company Application rarely, 27,1950, Serial No. 146,561 I V In Great Britain March l, 1949 3 Claims. (Cl. 66-76) 1 z This invention relates to' improvements in Fig. 2 is an end view of Fig. 1; straight bar knitting machines such as are used Fig. 3 is a plan view, drawn to a larger scale,

for the production of a knitted fabric applicable of two longitudinal members and their connectfor the manufacture of berets and other shaped ing links;

articles. Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

In such machines the selection of the needles 'Fig. 5 is an elevation of alongitudinal memrequired to be operated at each transverse of the her showing means for-affixing a needle selecting cam box or cam carriage, which acts on the neestrip thereto; and

dles for the formation of the stitch, is controlled Fig. 6 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 5.

by a cylinder which carries on its peripheral sur- 10 Each needle selecting strip A is secured to a face a series of projecting strips arranged parallongitudinal member B which at each end is atlel' to the axis of the cylinder. The cylinder is tached to or formed integrally with a link C of a rotated about its axis through a given angular chain passing around a sprocket wheel D afiixed distance after each traverse of the cam box or on a shaft D The shaft D is intermittently carriage and is mounted so that it has a reciprorotated and is given a reciprocating movement or eating movement or an oscillating movement an oscillating movement about'a centre at some about a centre at some distance from the cylindistance from the shaft D to bring each strip der, whereby a strip thereon will engage the rear A'successively into contact with the rear of the of the needles which it is desired to be selected needles which it is desired to be selected to be to be operated on by the cam or carriage. The operated on by the cam box or carriage of the strips secured'to the'surface of the cylinder 'may knitting machine. 7 r vary in length so that they will select the num- The needle selecting strip A may be secured to her of needles required for the particular portion the longitudinal member B in any suitable way of the fabric being knitted thereby controlling and the longitudinal members B may be of any the necessary decreases and increases in the desired construction. A form of longitudinal width of the fabric. member B which is at present preferred and the The number of longitudinal strips which can method of securing the needle selecting strip A be arranged around the periphery of the cylinder thereto is shown in the drawings but it is to be is limited and hence the number of changes in understood that this form is only illustrative of the selection of the needles is also limited and the the invention. object of the present invention is an arrange- The longitudinal member B consists of two stifi' ment in substitution for the usual cylinder of Wires or rods of small diameter b formed at each means which will allow a very large number of end with a link C. Each link C is separable from changes in the selection of the needles. the next link and is readily attachable thereto This object is achieved according to the presso that the longitudinal member B and the link ent invention by carrying each of the needle se- C at each end thereof constitute a complete unit. lection strips on a longitudinal member secured The needle selecting strip A is of T shape in at each end to a chain or equivalent device passcross section and is secured to the wires or rods 1? ing over a sprocket or similar wheel aifixed on a or the member B by a series of pair of clamping shaft which is given an intermittent rotary move- 40 plates a. which have curved ends to encircle partly ment and a reciprocating or oscillating movethe wires or rods b. The clamping plates of each ment to bring each selection strip successively pair are clamped together with the perpendicular into engagement with the ends of the needles. flange of the strip A between them by means of The chains or equivalent devices carrying the the screws or bolts a If necessary to prevent longitudinal members can be of any required distortion of the wires or rods b by the clamping length so that any desired number of selection plates, a distance piece b '(see Fig. 6) may be strips can be employed since the portions of the arranged between them where each pair of clampchains or equivalent devices not in engagement ing plates is located.

with the sprocket or similar wheels will depend The needle selecting strips A may consist of an downwards from the wheels. aluminium or other light weight alloy with a steel The invention is illustrated in and will be deplate to form the face which engages the ends of scribed with reference to the accompanying drawthe needles.

ings in which: When the pattern or shape of the fabric re- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a portion of the quires the end needle or needles to operate as a chains and longitudinal members showing them half-needle or tuck stitch needle, the end or ends passing round thesprocket wheel; of the selecting strip are stepped so that the needle or needles engaged by the stepped portion will only be moved half their normal distance.

Spring means acting on the end of the shaft D carrying the sprocket wheels D may be provided to ensure that after each rotary movement of the shaft it 'will be stopped in the correct position to ensure that the selecting strip A which is to engage the needles in the next forward movement of the shaft, will be perpendicular to the ends of the needles when brought into contact therewith. v

Any number of longitudinal-members B each carrying a needle selecting strip A can be employed in the form of an endless band and to remove one such band and replace it by another it is only necessary to uncouple a pair of adjacent links of each end chain. Thus when it is desired to change the shape or pattern of the fabric being knitted the time necessary for change is short.

Moreover if it is desired to replace one or more of the longitudinal members B it is only n'ecessary to uncouple the members it is desired to replace and substitute other members therefor.

The needle selecting strips A are easily replaceable on the longitudinal members B as it is only necessary to loosen the clamping screws or bolts (1 to enable a strip to be removed and replaced by another strip.

1. Patterning mechanism having a plurality of needle selecting strips for a straight bar knitting machine for the production of a knitted fabric applicable for the manufacture of berets and other shaped articles comprising the combination with each needle selecting strip of a longitudinal member to which the selecting strip is secured, means at each end of the longitudinal member for attaching the members together to form an endless band at each end of the member, an intermittently rotated shaft having a to and fro movement and a pair of driving wheels, one for each band, secured on said shaft and spaced part at a distance equivalent to the length of the longitudinal member.

2. Patterning mechanism having a plurality of needle selecting strips f or a straight bar knitting machine for the production of a knitted fabric applicable for the manufacture of berets and other shaped articles comprising the combination with each needle selecting strip of a pair of longitudinal rods to which the selecting strip is detachably secured, a link at each end of the longitudihalrods, the links at each of the ends of the plurality of pairs of rods being adapted to be attached together to form an endless chain, an intermittently rotated shaft having a to and fro movement, a pair of sprocket wheels, one for each chain, secured on said shaft and spaced apart at a distance equivalent to the distance between the two links at the ends of each pair of rods to which the selecting strips are secured.

3. In patterning mechanism for a straight bai' knitting machine as in claim 2 the eembmamen with each pair of longitudinal rods to which a needle selecting strip secured of a plurality of pairs of clamping plates adapted to clamp the selecting strip to the rods and screwed means for tightening each pair of plates on to the strip and the rods. v

GUSTAV HUBER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,112,47 cavero Mar. 29, 1938 2,453,629 Hllbi NOV. 9, 1948 

